Monday, 22 November 2010

Been spreading and receiving back lots of Somerset Love lately. Have been really pleased with the positive response to my new website http://www.love-somerset.co.uk/ which features premium Somerset goods & produce delivered to your door.

Most folks seem to think it's a good idea that should have been done before. After all, there's a lot of big tourism sites for Somerset, with lots of private and public funding behind them, as well as some fantastic individual sites from local independent producers. It's not a great leap to put the two together and offer a site that promotes local products and suppliers from the whole region, and taps into the interest generated by tourism/Glastonbury etc to a wider market. Longer term, I very much hope to get backlinks from all the major Somerset tourist sites, as their market is similar to mine...we'll see how I get on.

Been talking to some really interesting characters in my quest to find the perfect products for my categories - was out at Burrow Hill Cider last week to chat to the inimitable Mr Temperley. Amazing cider brandy and aperitifs - tried the Kingston Black Aperitif....like coming home to a warm fire on a frosty afternoon....bliss. Could only have a small one as was driving, a real shame, will go back with husband/driver!!

Still have a mountain to climb in terms of contacting suppliers/setting adverts/walking dog/children/whatever
and everyday seems to contain a steep learning curve.

No more time for blogging - time to save the world, or a bit of it anyway.

Saturday, 6 November 2010

I've been working hard on my new website this week and am just about to let it go live - scary and exciting, a bit like childbirth really. My site promotes and sells premium goods made in Somerset - cider, Cheddar cheese, willow, sheepskin/leather goods, also original handmade art & crafts -find us at www.love-somerset.co.uk.I still haven't got all the products I would like to list yet, but as this will be an organic process -have decided to open up the shop anyway. Am using a mix of affiliate links through Amazon etc, as well as a personal approach to local independent producers/suppliers to set up trading agreements and sell their goods direct from my site.

It has been harder than I thought to get agreements with medium-size companies, many have their own sites and only want to fulfill full-price private orders or larger wholesale trade orders; unfortunately I am somewhere in the middle! I didn't want to hold stock, as apart from the obvious expense I knew it would limit what I could offer in my shop. I was surprised at the number of small Somerset independents I found already retailing through Amazon, some still fulfill orders themselves, but I think some have sent stock to some of Amazon's central warehouses and these orders get fulfilled by Amazon. As I can get a small commission on each order that's directed through my site, this can work out better than processing the order myself, paying merchant fees and the subsequent order processing admin.After extensive! research, I've found that Amazon is often the cheaper/quicker option for quite a few products (especially books/CDs), so have decided that this is the way to go for some things at least for now. Maybe as my site grows, I will be able to come to a better agreement with these producers and make it worthwhile selling their products direct from my site.My site's main USP is to offer a high-quality comprehensive collection from the whole of Somerset and it's going to take most of this month to fill the categories I've created. If there are any independent Somerset producers / manufacturers / retailers reading this blog and you would like to sell your items in my shop (we take order and payment - you despatch), please contact me at the site or email sam@love-somerset.co.uk. Anyone who has tried to do something similar, please mail in with your advice and suggestions, also any comments on my new site would be really great - it's hard to be objective when you look at something for long hours every day.Love and Peace from Somerset xxx

Thursday, 4 November 2010

Just posting my first blog 'live and direct' from Somerset. It's a great place to be - from Glastonbury Festival to Priddy Sheep Fair there's usually summit goin' on down in these here parts.

A whole month of Carnival is just kicking off which has to be seen to be believed. It's a massive evening for most of the towns around here - hundreds of illuminated floats featuring everything from space warriors to Young Farmers (oo aah) - loads of rural revellery and huge P.As.

Brand spanking new pier in Weston-Super-Mare - they've done a pretty good job and it looks quite like the old one. Indoor new super go-kart area is a must, still got the slot machines..wonder how much it costs to build a pier?

10 Things I Love About Somerset1. It's the greenest county - check it out on Google satellite2. Glastonbury Festival (again), oh & the Tor and groovy high street, OK & The Riflemans Pub3. Burrow Hill 'Cider Bus' & Cider Brandy4. Roads are only busy at about 8.30 am and 5pm!5. Starlings flying in to roost at Westhay Nature reserve - magical6. Hunter's Lodge at Priddy - popular with cavers, real ale and menu is cauli cheese, chilli or rolls...always, and a wry smile from Roger if you're lucky.7. More dog walks than you could throw a stick at!8. It's really near Cornwall.9. OK running out of ideas now...how about the accent, it be 'rite I 'spect me luver? Think Justin Lee Collins (although he's really from Bristol - say 'bristle' for authenticity.10. Cows, specially the black & white ones.

There, think that's about it for now. Will let you know if you're missing anything.